IN ONE of the more surprising ATP Masters 1000 results in recent history, Australian Alexei Popyrin defied all odds to secure just his third ATP Tour title, and first above 250 level. It was fitting that his National Bank Open final win came against world number six Andrey Rublev, having stunned a whoopping five Top 20 players en route to the title.

Popyrin defeated Rublev at Montreal 6-2 6-4, dismissing the highly touted Russian with somewhat ease to cap off what has been a remarkable week for the former world number 62. He is no longer that low however, with his victory catapulting him into 23rd in the world easily a career-high.

“It means the world, for all the hard work I’ve put in over the years, all the sacrifices I have made,” Popyrin said post-match. “Not just me, but my family, my girlfriend, my team, everybody around me. They have sacrificed their whole lives for me and for me to win this for them is just amazing.”

Popyrin matched fire with fire as his powerful forehand produced 18 winners on the day, and took full advantage of a shaky Rublev second serve to break twice in set one, saving all four break points off his own serve along the way.

Incredibly even when Rublev threw down the gauntlet to break in the seventh game of the second set, Popyrin rallied to reel off the last three games of the match, breaking immediately back and then a second time to secure the 6-2 6-4 victory.

Though the win might be a shock, Popyrin has beaten Rublev before, and the victory took his head-to-head with the Russian to 2-1 in the Australian’s favour. Having previously won in Singapore (2021) and Umag (2023), the now world number 23 has added a far bigger trophy to his cabinet.

That was not the only record he broke though, with Popyrin the first player to defeat five Top 20 opponents in a tournament since Holger Rune‘s Paris Masters title in 2022. He also became the fourth lowest ranked ATP Masters 1000 champion in history, and second lowest Montreal Masters champion.

Though disappointed with the loss, Rublev said he had plenty of reasons to smile.

“It’s a very positive and really good week,” Rublev said of his run to the final. “Really big step forward I think, and I feel proud of myself that I was able to be really good all the week mentally.

“Even today because if we took me back a couple of months ago or even one month ago or even compare my match against him at Monte-Carlo when I was losing, I was behaving 10 times more, and it was first round.

“Here it was a final. Much more pressure. Yes, I still showed a bit emotions today, but compare the matches when I was losing the same way, I think I did much better job. That’s why I had a little chance in the second set, but it was just not my time I guess.”

There is no rest for the Australian who has to jump straight into the Cincinnati Open where he meets Frenchman Gael Monfils in the first round, before the most challenging of opponents in Olympic silver medallist Carlos Alcaraz for the winner.

2024 NATIONAL BANK OPEN MEN’S SINGLES FINAL RESULT:

Alexei Popyrin (AUS) defeated [5] Andrey Rublev (RUS) 6-2 6-4